Making Garden Wish Flags

We made a new set of garden wish flags this past week, as part of our plan to increase the magic of our gardening space, and hung them in the backyard. These flags carry our wishes and hopes for the garden and for the gardening season. Let’s hope they do the trick!

We first made garden wish flags a couple years ago (and blogged about them here) and absolutely loved them all season long. However I didn’t hold on to them, figuring that they were best made fresh each year. We made a different kind last year, using the glue batik method. They were pretty awesome, but sadly we used the wrong kind of paint and they never made it out to the garden.

This year we went back to the good old fabric crayons for our wish flags.

First, I cut some white cotton fabric from my fabric stash (I think it was from an old sheet) into triangles with my pinking shears.

The pinking shears were so I wouldn’t have to hem the edges. I wanted this set of garden wish flags to be as easy and quick as possible to make, but didn’t want the edges to unravel either.

I taped the edges of the fabric to the table with painter’s tape to hold the fabric taut while we drew.

We drew pictures on the fabric using our favorite fabric crayons—Pentel Fabric Fun Dye Sticks. Here Maia’s drawing a bee to encourage pollinators in the garden.

She also drew an earthworm, healthy soil, a ladybug under a magifying glass, and a bird.

Daphne made some lovely abstract wish flags that will surely work their mysterious magic in the garden.

I added wishes for lots of flowers, plenty of rain, butterflies, and sunshine.

Once we finished, I removed the flags from the table and ironed them to set the crayon drawings.

I loved having colorful printed fabric as part of our garden wish flags last time, so we repeated that aspect again. This time I cut triangles (again with the pinking shears) to roughly match the white fabric triangles.

I arranged the drawings and the printed fabric back to back and sewed a 1/4 inch ribbon along the entire length, leaving a foot or so at each end for tying.

Finally, I hung the garden wish flags in the garden! I tied each end to a bamboo garden pole stuck in the ground (and later added a third one in the center).

Here’s the side with all of our wish drawings.

And here’s the side showing the colorful printed fabric.

I love how they flutter in the breeze, adding color, energy, and our special wishes to the garden. The garden can’t help but thrive this year, right?

Comments

The flags are lovely and it looks like there was lots of thoughtful work put into them. But I must also comment on your YARD! I don’t remember seeing pictures of the stone walls and terraces, it is amazing. What a wonderful place to have a garden.

Very cool, and again you lead me to art supplies I never knew existed! One question: what will you do in torrential downpours? Will they last? Or do you have to try to remember to take them inside before it storms?
Sarah M
PS-this weekend is my state’s annual home school conference and I was lucky enough to find a set of water color crayons! I’m looking forward to using them with my kids on Monday!

Now, I have added pinking shears to my wish list. Never knew there were scissors that cut so you didn’t have to hem. That’s awesome! Your beautiful yard is even more beautiful with the flags.
We recently used your glue batik method for cloth napkins for our special Earth Day meal on the blog. We’ve washed them several times and the color has held up. Thanks for the great idea.

you girls will surely have to make a fairy garden, too!!! we made one last year (very basic with half a barrel, soil, flowers…painted small rocks, mini pinwheels, tiny trinkets for the tinkering fairies)… we have to replant flowers this year and make some new rocks… maybe pick out some tiny furniture at the craft store…you have a lovely space for gardening!

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About Jean Van’t Hul

Hello and Welcome! My name is Jean... I'm passionate about making kids' art and everyday creativity easy and fun. (Read more)